I finished my novel and my query months ago, but I've been afraid to send it because I don't want anyone to steal my idea...so I considered getting a copyright. I'm sure the agents wouldn't do that, but I worked so hard on my story and I would be devastated if that happened.

As A.T.O'Connor: short stories in the Seasons Anthologies. YA Novel: WHISPERING MINDS.

Posted 07 October 2011 - 01:14 PM

While I can understand where your fear comes from--we pour our heart and soul, sweat and tears into our projects--you honestly don't need to worry as long as you submit your mansucript to repsectable agents and editors.

Not to mention that your work is copyrighted the moment it makes its way from your fingertips to the keyboard.

Cat, I think you meant http://agentquery.com for the AQ database (as opposed to our lovely AQC networking area here).

And I second everything she said. There's really no need, your future publisher will file a new copyright anyway, and I've heard agents and editors say that it gives them a feeling of "newbie who hasn't done their homework" when a writer files copyright before submitting.

I have my copyright on my manuscript. It's not quite as cool looking as a patent (have that too) but it'll do.

If it gives you peace of mind, then do it. It only cost $35.00, and could give you a better nights sleep.

As far as the newbie thing, I couldn't care less. I prefer taking the safe route. Yes, your manuscript is protected as soon as you write it, but it's far easier to prove in a court of law when you have its copyright (you submit your entire manuscript to the copyright office and even your pseudo ).

As I understand, it should be protected simply because you created it. You might have trouble proving that you did it first, though. I've heard a suggestion to email the document to yourself - you can then prove that you had it completed at the time of that email. Certainly don't waste money on this.

It's your material according to the laws of the United States, but you have to prove it. So, it's protected the moment you type it.

I wouldn't suggest that you mail it to yourself. It'll probably cost you near the $35 and it doesn't assure much as mail can be tampered with. The copyright office keeps your manuscript on record. It also has far more power to put: "copyright" then, "watch out buddy, I mailed this to myself!".

Publishing Experience:Newspaper journalist. Author of THINGS NOT SEEN, a romantic suspense. Available on Amazon. http://amzn.to/1sLwvz6

Posted 07 October 2011 - 03:35 PM

Hi, Ittybittybat and welcome to AQC. Yes, RC and Cat are correct. Your work is copyrighted as soon as you write it. However, I agree with Cloe. I have copyrighted through the official copyright.gov site. It is, indeed, only $35. I sleep better. I also know I send my work out to beta readers and agents I have never met. Tell me where it is written that everybody who works for so-and-so literary agency is 100% honest and, under the right circumstances, would still never resort to a little dishonesty. No such guarantees exist.

Can you PROVE your copyright when you didn't do it "officially"? Most likely. That all goes to WHEN you put it in the computer. Did you save old copies? I haven't saved the older copies of my work. I write new versions on top of the old. I've also had computers burned by power surges, etc. If I had to rely on bringing in people that could vouch for me that they read it back when, I'd have problems producing some of them because they are friends from the internet. I don't really know real names or where they live, necessarily. Could I find out and then subpoena them to appear, if necessary? Yes, I could - for a lot more money. Do I need to be concerned about any of that if I "officially" copyright it? No. I do not. For $35 I have totally ended any question whatsoever. I have proof positive that will hold up in any court.

When you open any book and turn to the copyright page, you'll see the author's name (maybe their real name, if they write under a pen name). You do NOT see the name of the publisher there. The only time the publisher's name will appear there is if it was a work for hire. That means that the publisher outright hired you for a set dollar figure to write the book. You would not get an advance, nor would you get any royalties. You get only the money you agreed to accept in exchange for your work. All rights belong to the publisher forever. In that case, the publisher's name would appear as the owner of the copyright. When the publisher copyrights material for the themselves or the author, it's because it has not already "officially" been done.

If publishers were 100% convinced that they (or the author) were totally theft proof, why would they bother to copyright it at all? What if there is an agent or editor out there somewhere who thinks that me protecting my own work, by "officially" copyrighting it, says that I'm a newbie? Why would it bother them? It is no skin off their nose. If they are bothered by it, it would send up a red flag for me. I don't sign contracts without reading them either. So, if that agent or editor ever hands me a contract and tells me, "Hey, this is just standard, go ahead and sign," I'll still be reading it closely. And he still might think I'm a newbie because it's all old hat to him. And I still won't care what he thinks.

As A.T.O'Connor: short stories in the Seasons Anthologies. YA Novel: WHISPERING MINDS.

Posted 07 October 2011 - 04:30 PM

Well, you need to do what you feel is right for yourself.

I've never copyrited anything, but that seems to work for me. I did my research and wasn't concerned that the agents I submitted to would pawn off my writing as their own. Of course, there's always the exception, but I think it's so minimal with reputable agents that I still sleep pretty easy each night.

Publishing Experience:Journalist covering U.S. nonprofits, foundations, and life in general. President and Chief Elephant Officer of Elephant's Bookshelf Press, LLC. Since establishing the company in 2012, we have published ten books, including short stories by several AQC writers and debut novels by AQC authors A.T. O'Connor (aka Cat Woods), "ScubaSteve" Carman, and R.S. Mellette. Heading into 2016, we're aiming to publish at least two books, including the second Mellette novel and an anthology. In 2015, I saw a few memoir/nonfiction pieces published in Red Fez. I expect to do more of that in 2016 and beyond, while also looking to add freelance editing and writing clients.

Posted 07 October 2011 - 09:03 PM

For what it's worth, there is absolutely no chance your novel as it currently sits will be the same when it's ready to be published, so you'd be wasting your money. Use it to buy a tank of gas. That's not to cast an aspursions against your writing. It's just that Shakespeare would have edits at this stage. Don't waste your money.

Publishing Experience:YA/MG Author. Won some awards. Pissed off a few people. Repped by @bpoelle. PANDAS ON THE EASTSIDE from @orcabook 2016. ZERO REPEAT FOREVER from @simonteen 2017

Posted 07 October 2011 - 11:28 PM

My two cents:

I was just thinking about this today. The thing is, most ideas aren't really worth copyrighting. It's true that sometimes a book comes out and I think "why didn't I think of that?" but most books are just obvious retellings of existing stories. I don't know your idea, so I can't be sure.

But here's the thing. It's much cheaper for a publisher to buy your idea from YOU than to steal your idea and rewrite it themselves or hire someone to rewrite it. You're a beginner. You're cheap.

Your WRITING is copyright. Your IDEA? Well...some ideas are hard to copyright. Because they're obvious, or general, or not very original. Be a good WRITER.

Not very helpful, I know. My advice would be to get another great idea, then send this first one out into the world.

I'm experiencing this same problem. I don't trust myself to for sure never let it get in the hands of someone disresputable, but at the same time don't want to be pegged as a newbie, so I have no idea what to do and am very frustrated trying to figure out if I should copyright it or not.

Publishing Experience:Some shorts published in obscure anthologies.
Diary of a Small Fish, a first little piggy heading to market.

Posted 26 October 2011 - 10:57 PM

It's really pretty easy.

You have a finished manuscript, you can copyright it or not. Pay the $35, fill out the form, attach the file. Boom, you're done. Or, do nothing.

The only important thing is NOT to put the copyright icon on your manuscript, or next to the title in your query letter (I saw that done once - every time the title was used, it had the little "c" circle after it. Very bad.)

Publishing Experience:Comic Book artist for High School and College Newspaper

Posted 11 November 2011 - 11:04 AM

I used to think before and I wanted to have a bunch of my work copyrighted, but if you do your research again, all your work is already protected under copyright laws the moment you create it.

Now there may be a problem if the writer is going for something way to common or mainstream, but it that was the case, the agent of course would take of that. Things change the other way if the writer is actually self publishing, then probably yes.

I wouldn't waste the 35 dollars on it, unless you think your book is going to be the next big hit, and frankly, is the agent's job to decide that.

As a writer you are also your first and most important reader. Do what you love, love what you do.

Publishing Experience:Published community newspapers in Chicago for 8 years; now publishing www.durhamskywriter.com from Durham, North Carolina, USA.

Currently working on my first nonfiction book, "And Then We Saw an Eye: Caring for a Loved-One with Alzheimer's at Home."

Posted 11 November 2011 - 12:13 PM

Here's another easy solution: Send your story as an attachment to a trusted sibling or other family member. My book is first person/nonfiction, so I'm not worried—however, if I were, I'd go ahead and email it to my sister in Chicago. Come to think of it, I have sent her what I have so that she could tell me how I'm doing so far.

Published community newspapers in Chicago for 8 years; now publishing www.durhamskywriter.com.

Currently working on my first nonfiction book, "And Then We Saw an Eye: Caring for a Loved-One with Alzheimer's at Home."

Publishing Experience:Some shorts published in obscure anthologies.
Diary of a Small Fish, a first little piggy heading to market.

Posted 11 November 2011 - 01:00 PM

To clarify:

1. The so-called "poor man's copyright" (aka, the "mailbox rule") is no longer necessary with the advent of word files that record the document date - but it doesn't hurt.

2. Your copyright to an unregistered manuscript does not give you full protection in the event that someone infringes it. The copyright law provides that in order for you to be eligible for the full protection of the statute, you must register the work. What "full protections" do I mean? The right to collect attorneys fees and statutory damages (rather than having to prove lost profits) form the infringer.

The benefit of the latter can be illustrated her:

Someone cribs your unregistered manuscript and puts it up on Amazon under a pseudonym (this has happened), and sells 50 copies. You have to pay a lawyer to sue, and you total damages are the profit in 50 books - although you will be able to enjoin its further sale.

Someone cribs your registered manuscript and does the same thing. You sue, win, and the infringer is liable (automatically) for your attorneys fees PLUS statutory damages of up to $150,000. Regardless of how many copies were sold.

So understand, there is a BIG difference between you having a "copyright" and having access to the statutory remedies of the copyright law.

(Why do they do this? To encourage registration.)

None of this is to suggest that copyrighting is necessary before sending a full to an agent.

Note: My agent just told me of this situation: She delivered a full treatment and first 3 chapters of a novel to an editor at a big house. Six months later, a debut novelist published a novel identical to the treatment, even using the same names. When asked where she came up with the idea, she said, "my publisher gave it to me."